Maintenance advice

jecooper

Hi Guys,

Apologies if this has been asked before, but i was looking for some advice on the essential maintenance i should be doing on my bike. I've had my bike only a fortnight and I love how smoothly and silently it currently rides. The first few rides I've been on I've made sure tyres are pumped up and given the drivetrain a good spray of GT85 but i get the feeling there's a lot more that needs to be done!

Not looking for anything too detailed, but what are the basics i should be doing on a weekly basis and what/when should i be doing more thoroughly on a regular basis. happy to get my hands dirty and save the trips to the LBS for the tricky stuff.

Cheers!

jecooper

Oh and any good resources for guides/videos would also be appreciated!

declan1

Basic stuff like oiling the chain, giving the bike a decent clean after every ride, keeping tyres pumped up and adjusting derailleurs/brakes when they need it will help.

A quick google brought this up - http://bicycletutor.com/guide/

t4tomo

Or indeed scroll down to the bottom of this page and find:

Workshops & Buyers Guides
Workshop: How to clean and lube your bike

and other useful links.

YOu want to be careful admitting spraying GT85 around, it will bring out the WD40 vigilantes

rjkflyer

Funnily enough, just made this comment as part of another post, but moving to a stainless steel chain reduced my maintenance, and improved smooth running.

Still need to keep it cleaned and oiled of course, but i find an occasional deep clean, dry off, and then coat with some dry lube keeps that part of the deal running well. Also, the dry lube tends to pick up far less crud than an oiling. Never mind not getting it all over your clothes/bike...

simon_masterson

It really depends on how much horrible weather you are riding in. In general you should make sure that your brake pivots are clean and lubed, same with cables. These can seize in the worst instance, or become sticky. If you ride in the rain all the time, it's a good idea to do this regularly; particularly the brake pivots. If you use indexed gears, you need to keep them adjusted. Degreasing your chain with a degreaser and stiff brush is highly recommended; don't just keep putting oil on it as this doesn't remove the road muck. Cleaning your bike is a good idea, particularly when the road salt is down. Keep tyre pressures up, check tyres for debris, check that wheels are running true, keep an eye on brake shoe wear...

But you don't need to wash your bike after every ride (unless you only ride in the monsoon season) or smother it with solvents, or anything like that.

♠ChumBucket♠

RJKflyer wrote:

Funnily enough, just made this comment as part of another post, but moving to a stainless steel chain reduced my maintenance, and improved smooth running.

Still need to keep it cleaned and oiled of course, but i find an occasional deep clean, dry off, and then coat with some dry lube keeps that part of the deal running well. Also, the dry lube tends to pick up far less crud than an oiling. Never mind not getting it all over your clothes/bike...

I've been using "dry lube" for a few weeks now & find it amazing! It totally silences the drive chain & the chain stays cleaner for longer than with oil. Brilliant stuff.